Programming MARCS PSR600

[Tom1200]

Headed on a trip down 75 in a while. Was wondering if there is a simple way to program my scanner to "roam" and hop on the closest tower as I drive down the road? I figure I will create a separate v-scanner for it. Would it work if I just put all of the sites/osp tg's into one scanlist? I do use arc-500 to program my radio.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[mtindor]

Headed on a trip down 75 in a while. Was wondering if there is a simple way to program my scanner to "roam" and hop on the closest tower as I drive down the road? I figure I will create a separate v-scanner for it. Would it work if I just put all of the sites/osp tg's into one scanlist? I do use arc-500 to program my radio.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Here is what I would do:

1. Add the primary control channel (the one listed in Red in the DB) for each site you wish to have available for potential roaming.

2. Set the MultiSite option in the TSYS to ROAM

3. Add in all the talkgroups that you want to hear and have labels for.

4. Optionally, add a Group Wildcard TGRP object to that same scanlist associated with that TSYS to pick up any additional traffic. Some people don't like doing this because they have a very narrow focus on what they want to listen to. I happen to want to hear anything that is being broadcast off of a specific site so I add the group wildcard.

Basically, you had the right plan from the start. Program it up and let us know how it works for you in your travels. I used multisite ROAM during many trips To/From Columbus/Steubenville via I-70/SR-7 and the roam function worked extremely well for me.

Mike

 

[LPROB00]

I had a friend drive from Cincinnati to Columbus for trainging and took his PSR 500 with him to see how well it tracked and moved from tower to tower compared his MARCS radio as he traveled up I-71 and he said it had about 85-90% accuracy. I live in Lebanon and monitor about 9-10 towers if on the road in Warren-Butler-Hamilton County and mostly monitor Post 83 and Post 09. I generally hear all the radio traffic from both Posts. GRE gave us a great scanner for monitoring Ohio MARCS.

 

[mtindor]

I generally hear all the radio traffic from both Posts. GRE gave us a great scanner for monitoring Ohio MARCS.

I agree. It may not be perfect, but it isn't a $5000 commercial radio -- and even the commercial radios can't do what the scanner does. It works better than I would have ever expected tracking MARCS when travelling.

mike

 

[bucknut937]

okay i programed in all the sites that i normally listen too with the control channels and alternate ones as well and dont use roam i use stat. now should i be using ROAM over STAT.

Also programming MARCS i would like to add all the Zone 1 and 2 in my scanner and theres alot of frequencies is there away to do this easily


Thanks


ZAC

 

[AMDXP]

okay i programed in all the sites that i normally listen too with the control channels and alternate ones as well and dont use roam i use stat. now should i be using ROAM over STAT.

Also programming MARCS i would like to add all the Zone 1 and 2 in my scanner and theres alot of frequencies is there away to do this easily


Thanks


ZAC

I would add just the Primary and TAC, then just have a Wildcard for each TSYS you create.

Then add TGs and ID them after picking them up. Depending on your area most of these TGs aren't in use most of the time.

 

[bucknut937]

okay should i program the sites cc as ROAM or STAT

Thanks

ZAC

 

[hoser147]

okay should i program the sites cc as ROAM or STAT

Thanks

ZAC

You would want to use ROAM so it can change towers as you go.

 

[grumpy_hermit]

Maybe roaming is something that I can use even though my scanner (GRE PSR-600) is stationary. If this question isn't appropriate for this thread, let me know.

I prefer to monitor MARCS via the Lima site. I have all of the TGs that I am interested in plus I run a wildcard to listen for new stuff since Lima PD/FD should be going live soon and I reckon they'll have more than the 2 TGs currently listed in the DB. I also have entered the Wapakoneta site and a wildcard for it. Occasionally, the Wapakoneta wildcard will hit on a talkgroup that is already programmed into the scanner and treat it as a new TG. If I store it, it shows up on the Wapakoneta system. This means that I have the same TG twice, one on each system. Would roaming allow me to enter a TG only once and have it hit on the nearest site?

 

[radioscan]

If your radio is stationary then use STAT. I personally prefer to use STAT over ROAM. ROAM locks onto the
closest (strongest signal) tower as you move about. I use STAT and make sure to Check All CCs.
That way I am hearing each tower site I am receiving with every scan mode pass.

 

[grumpy_hermit]

Okay, STAT it is. Thanks.

 

[bucknut937]

okay STAT is is for me too Ive always used this mode

ZAC

 

[cfr301]

Maybe roaming is something that I can use even though my scanner (GRE PSR-600) is stationary. If this question isn't appropriate for this thread, let me know.

I prefer to monitor MARCS via the Lima site. I have all of the TGs that I am interested in plus I run a wildcard to listen for new stuff since Lima PD/FD should be going live soon and I reckon they'll have more than the 2 TGs currently listed in the DB. I also have entered the Wapakoneta site and a wildcard for it. Occasionally, the Wapakoneta wildcard will hit on a talkgroup that is already programmed into the scanner and treat it as a new TG. If I store it, it shows up on the Wapakoneta system. This means that I have the same TG twice, one on each system. Would roaming allow me to enter a TG only once and have it hit on the nearest site?

In a word NO. I agree with the STAT setting if your stationary. However for Example I live in Wapakoneta, I have Lima Programmed but SELDOM get anything off their tower, I also have Celina Programmed and a wildcard on that tower. The scanner sees TG not programmed into the Celina Tower as NEW TG's I just lock them out if I have them programmed on another tower. One hint I set an audio beep on my wildcards that way I know without looking its a wildcard hit.

Hope that helps.

Rick

 

[grumpy_hermit]

The scanner sees TG not programmed into the Celina Tower as NEW TG's I just lock them out if I have them programmed on another tower.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing too but I thought that there might be a way to handle it without the duplication of TGs.

One hint I set an audio beep on my wildcards that way I know without looking its a wildcard hit.

Yup, me too.

Thanks.